FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
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Locke presents Schramm, Inc. with certificate of appreciation at international District Export Council Conference in Detroit

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke presented a Certificate of Appreciation today to Vice President of Schramm, Inc. Fred Slack, whose Philadelphia company’s products were instrumental in rescuing the 33 miners who were trapped 2,300 feet underground after the collapse of the San Jose Mine in Copiapo, Chile.

"The entire world watched on Oct. 13 as the 33 trapped miners were rescued in less than 22 hours,” Locke said. “Thanks in large part to Schramm’s T-130 rig – now dubbed ‘the rig heard ‘round the world’ – the miners were rescued two months earlier than originally planned.”

Locke was in Detroit speaking at the International District Export Council Conference about the administration’s efforts to grow jobs, the economy and U.S. exports through the National Export Initiative. He also participated in a roundtable discussion with U.S. Rep. Gary Peters and local businesses to discuss the challenges they’re facing and how the recently passed Small Business Jobs Act will improve the outlook for small companies across the U.S. The passage of the bill – long-encouraged by President Obama – was the most significant step on behalf of small businesses in more than a decade and accelerates more than $55 billion in tax relief over the next year to small businesses across the country.

Founded in 1900, Schramm is a global leader in cutting-edge, customized mobile drilling rigs and serves industries around the world, including energy, mining, geothermal and water well.  In addition to the use of the company’s rig, a Schramm expert traveled to Chile to assist with the rescue efforts.  With the help of the T-130, it took only 33 days to reach the 33 trapped miners a half-mile beneath the surface.

Schramm is a client of the Commerce Department’s Commercial Service within the International Trade Administration (ITA). The company looked to the Philadelphia U.S. Export Assistance Center (USEAC) for support in growing the firm’s exports. The company received export counseling and gained market entry assistance into Argentina, Austria, China and Venezuela using the Commercial Service’s Gold Key Service, Advocacy Center and market research.

“There are companies of all sizes like Schramm all across America producing goods and services that are in great demand by the 95 percent of the world’s consumers who live outside our borders,” Locke said. “The Commerce Department has numerous programs and services to assist these companies in expanding their business through exports, which will support President Obama’s National Export Initiative of doubling exports in five years while creating several million American jobs.”